Cabinet for automatic musical instruments.



I R. J. BENNETT. CABINET FOR AUTDMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION IILI'ID MAY3, 1910.

1,006,526, Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. BENNETT, 0F MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARTISTA PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF MILAN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GABINET FOB AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed May 3, 1910. Serial No. 559,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinets for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to cabinets for automatic pianos, organs and other musical instruments, in which it is desirable to employ folding pedals or other devices adapted for the operation of the instrument, and which at times it is desirable to fold into the cabinet or case of the instrument and afterward close the opening through which they pass.

The invention relates to the means for closing the said opening in the cabinet or case, and has for its primary object to provide a cabinet or case for musical instru ments of improved form embodying means whereby the aperture in the cabinet or case may be closed by a door comprising substantially a single piece, other objects of the invention being to provide improved means for holding the door out of the way of the pedals or other operating devices when the instrument is in use, and for readily locking the door in place when such devices are folded or removed into the cabinet.

lVith a view to the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other objects which will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an example thereof, the invention being more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawingsFigure 1 is a rear elevation of the front board or panel of the cabinet or case of a musical instrument provided with these improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 22 ofFig. 1, showing the door closed; and Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the door open.

1 is the front board or panel of the case or cabinet of the musical instrument, which may be of the usual or any suitable construction, provided near its bottom with an aperture 2 through which project the pedals or other devices by which the automatic instrument is operated. These pedals or devices may, of course, be of any suitable construction. They form no part of the present invention, but are indicated in dotted lines at 3, the construction being such that they may be folded outwardly over the toe rail 4 when desired for use, or pushed into the cabinet in the position shown in Fig. 2 when it is desired to close the cabinet; When the pedals are thus folded into the cabinet, the aperture or door way 2 is closed by a door 5. This is preferably formed of a single panel or board, that is to say, it is a member whose components are not movable relatively to each other, even though it may be composed of a number of pieces put together. This door is hinged at its upper end to the front panel 1 at or near the upper side of the door way 2 by means of a bail or other suitable device consisting of a rod 6 journaled in a bearing block 7 or equivalent means secured to the back of the door 5,*said rod having one or more of its ends turned upwardly to form one or more arms 8 whose ends are bent to constitute pivots or journals 9 which are rotatably secured by straps 10 or other bearing pieces to the panel 1. The

axis of the rod 6 is considerably below the upper edge of the door 5, and the length of the arms 8 is such that when the door is swung outwardly on the centers 9' and pushed upwardly edgewise with its lower edge resting against or adjacent to the panel 1, there will be suflicient opening under the door for the operation of the pedals 3 after the latter have been pulled outwardly into their working position, but in order to thus remove the pedals, the lower edge of the door which is mounted for free swinging movement is first turned upwardly on the centers 9, allowing the pedals to clear the door, which is then pulled outwardly at its upper edge to disengage the latter from the upper edge of the opening, whereupon it may be lifted edgewise to the position shown in Fig. 3 and held in that position by any suitable means. In order that the door may assume this position automatically after its upper edge is released from the upper edge of the opening, it is provided with some yielding means for lifting it bodily while keeping its lower edge adjacent the panel 1. To that end, the lower edge of the door is attached to one or more springs 11, whose upper ends are secured to the lower end of a strap 12 which passes behind a pulley 13 secured to the back of the door, and has its upper end attached at 1 1 to the back of panel 1 or other fixed support, so that when the upper edge of the door is disengaged from the upper edge of the opening, the springs will serve at once for both elevating the door and holding its lower edge adjacent the panel 1, the door being limited inits inward movement by side guides or flanges 15. The upper edge of the door, if desired, may be provided with one or more lugs 16 adapted to engage behind the panel 1 after the door is in place, and while it is being put in place, which precludes the possibility of the upper edge of the door swinging outwardly should the tension of the spring be insuflicient for that purpose.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a case or cabinet having an aperture to be closed, a door for closing said aperture movable pivotally and edgewise about diflerent centers with relation to the aperture whereby the door may be shifted across the aperture, a flexible connection secured at one end against movement with the door, and an elastic connection securing said flexible connection to the door for holding the door in an elevated position and also drawing the door toward the aperture.

2. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a case or cabinet having an aperture to be closed, a door for closing said aperture, arms hinged to the cabinet and also to the door adjacent one edge of the door whereby the door can move pivotally and bodily 'on different arms with relation to the aperture the opposite edge of the door being free to swing outward and to be shifted across the aperture, and means for holding the door in its shifted position.

3. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a case or cabinet having an aperture to be closed, a door for closing said aperture, arms pivoted to the cabinet at the upper edge of the aperture and to the door at a distance from its upper edge whereby the door can move outwardly and upwardly on different axes, elastic means having a fixed connection with the door and a fixed support for holding the lower edge of the door adjacent the aperture, and guiding means for limiting the inward movement of the door.

4. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a case or cabinet having an aperture to be closed, a door for closing said aperture, means pivotally connecting the door by one edge to the case whereby the door may be moved about two centers and shifted across the aperture, the edge of the door opposite to the first said edge being free to swing outwardly away from the case, and means for holding the door in its adjusted position.

5. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a case or cabinet having an aperture to be closed, a door for closing said aperture, means pivotally connecting the door by one edge to the case whereby the door may be moved about two centers and shifted across the aperture, the edge of the door opposite to the first said edge being free to swing outwardly away from the case, and elastic means connected with the said free edge for holding the latter adjacent the aperture.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 18th day of April A. D. 1910.

ROBERT J BENNETT.

Witnesses:

M. W. CANTWELL, FRANCIS A. HOPKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. C. 

